Well reamer



1931. v. J. KUBIN ET AL 1,818,405

Filed Feb. 7, 1929 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcu VAN J. KUBI'N, OF BREA, Ann PERRY ruivnnununx, or FULLERTON, SCALIFORNIVA, ASSIGNORS 'ro GHIKSAN OIL root 00., LIMITED, A CORPORATION or NEVADA WELL REAMER Application filed. February 7, 1929.

This invention has to do with a well reamer, it being a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical and effective reaming tool suitable for operation in a drillin string adjacent or above a bit, or the like. t is desirable in many cases to provlde or Operate a reamer in connection with a well drilling bit in order to assure the drilling of a hole of the desired diameter and to improve, generally, the action of the b1t. In practiceit is found that a reamer operated behind a bit maintains the hole to gauge, that it guides the bit to keep it straight, and in many cases steadies the bit so that it operates without excessive vibration.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reamer of simple, inexpensive construction and suitable for application to or use in connection with various forms or types 50 of Well drills.

Itis an object of the present invention to provide a simple, effective and dependablecutter mounting for a reamer. The construction provided by the invention allows the cutters to be replaced easily and quickly and operates to hold the cutters securely and dependably when the tool is in the well.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved means of locking a cutter mounting pin in a device of the character mentioned.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a construction for a reamer in which the wear is taken by parts which can be readily replaced, making it economical to maintain the tool in operating condition.

The various objects and features of our invention will be best and more fully under-' stood from the following detailed description of a typical form and application of the invention, throughout which description referenc'e will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating the reamer embodying this invention showing certain parts broken away to illustrate in detail the mounting of one of the cutters. Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 22 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by Serial No. 338,083.

line 33 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 44l on Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 5 5 on Fig. 1. I j

The present invention is concerned particularly with a reamer construction and has particular reference to a cutter mounting for such a device. The invention may be applied to a'reamer embodied in or made a part of a Well drilling bit or it may be applied to a reamer which is a unit separate and independent of any other part. In the drawings we have illustrated the invention applied to a reamer which is a separate unitary device suitable for application in a drilling string at any desired point.

. The reamer includes, generally, a body 10, a plurality of cutters 11, mounting pins 12 for rotatably mounting the cutters in the body, and a pin locking member 13 carried by the body andlocking the pins 12 against rotation.

The body 10 is an elongate member or structure adapted to be applied to or connected to a string'of drilling tools, or the like, say, for example, between a bit 14 and a drill collar 15. In the construction illustrated the upper end portion. 16 of the body is provided witha screwthreaded pin portion 17 for connection with a drill collar 15, or the like, while the lower end portion 18 of the body is provided with a screwthreaded socket 19 to receive the pin projection 20 of a bit or other part. The middle portion of the body, that is, the portion of the body occurring between the end parts 16 and 18, is considerably larger in diameter than the end parts and has a plurality of longitudinally disposed sockets formed in its outer wall. The sockets are adapted to carry the cutters 11 and are preferably arranged symmetrically around the central axis of the tool. 'A. central longitudinal circulation opening 22 is provided in the body to conduct circulating fluid between the ends of the body so that circulation can be passed between the parts between which the reamer is connected. The cutters 11 are roller cutters. The outer cylindrical faces of the cutters may be finished in any suitable manner so that they will effectively cut the formation being operated on. In practice we have found it advantageous to provide the outer surfaces of the cutters with a plurality of comparatively small cut ting parts or teeth in the manner common to cutters of the roller type used in well drilling. lVith the present reamer there is preferably one cutter for each socket 21 of the body. In this case each cutter is comparatively long and is provided at its lower end portion with a tapered or convergent part 23. The tapered lower end portions of the cutters allow the reamer to readily feed into the well bore through which the reamer is to operate. Further, in practice it is desirable to bevel the upper ends 25 of the cutters to facilitate withdrawal of the tool from the well.

The mounting pins 12 are provided to rotatably support the cutters in the sockets 21.

There is a mounting pin 12 for each cutter 11 adapted to extend longitudinally through the cutter and to be mounted in the body so that its end portions above and below the cutter are held by the body. The mounting pin 12 extends through an opening 26 formed longitudinally through the cutter and has its upper end portion carried in an opening 27 extending upwardly in the enlarged part of the body from the upper end 28 of the socket and has its lower end carried in an opening 29 extending downwardly in the enlarged part of the body from the lower end 30 of the socket. The. opening 27 extends to the upper end of the enlarged part of the body so that the pin can be arranged in place through the opening 27. In the preferred construction washers 31 are inserted between the ends of the cutter and the ends of the socket in a manner such as is shown throughout the drawings. It is important for proper and dependable operation that the mounting pins 12 be secured in position in the body and that they be held against rotation. A setting device or key 35 may engage each mounting pin 12 to hold it against longitudinal movement and thus prevent it from becoming displaced from the body. In the case illustrated the keys 35 are carried in the enlarged portion of the body above the sockets and extend through the pins as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. The keys 35 may be in the form of bolts.

In order to restrict wear upon parts that can be easily and economically renewed, it is i desirable to lock the pins 12 against rotation so that rotation occurs between the roller cutters and pins and not between the pins and the body. In accordance with our present invention each mounting pin 12 is provided at one end, preferably its lower end, with an extension 40 which is polygonal in cross sectional configuration. The locking member 13 is preferably applied to the lower end portion 18 of the body to adjoin the lower end of the enlarged part of the body. The member 13 is provided with a plurality of openings 41 which may be positioned to register with the openings 29 in the body and which are shaped to receive the extensions 40 of the mounting pins to hold the mounting pins against rotation. I In the particular construction illustrated the extensions 40 and openings 11 are square in cross section, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The mounting member may be applied to the lower end of the body in any suitable manner, for instance, it'may be screwthreaded onto the part 18 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. During assembly of the parts, the locking member 13 is positioned on the lower end 18 of the body with the openings 41 registering with the openings 27 whereupon the mounting pins are lowered into place so that they extend through cutters located in the sockets 21 and so that their extensions 40 extend into openings 41. With the parts thus assembled, the extensions ll operate to lock the locking member 13 against rotation and thus prevent it from becoming loose or disengaged froin the body. The keys 35, which cut the formation that might otherwise tend.

to wear this part away. During operation the locking member 13 receives a certain amount of wear as the tool is advanced in a well bore and thus operates to protect the enlarged part of the body. In time the wear occurring on the exteriorof the member 13 and the slight working of the extensions 40 of the mounting pins 12 in the openings ll may make it necessary to replace the locking member. 13 can be replaced at very little expense. When the member 13 is renewed, together with the over wearing parts, that is the cutters and mounting pins, the tool is restored to perfect working condition as the body is such as to remain in perfect working condition almost indefinitely.

Having described only a typical preferred form of the invention, we do not wish to limit ourselves to the specific details set forth but wish to reserve to ourselves any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled. in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A well reamer including a body having an enlarged portion with longitudinal side recesses, cutters, pins carried by the body supporting the cut-tersin the recesses, the pins having polygonal parts, a locking member It will be obvious that the member.

screwthreaded on the body, the member having polygonal openings receiving said parts of the pins.

2. A well reamer including a body with a part having longitudinal side recesses and bores extending through it from the ends of the recesses, cutters, pins carried in the bores and extending through the recesses to rotatably support the cutters therein, the pins having polygonal extensions projecting beyond said part of the body, and a member screwthreaded to the body and having polygonal openings receiving the extensions.

3. A well reamer including a body with a part having longitudinal side recesses and bores extending through it from the ends of the recesses, cutters, pins carried in the bores and extending through the recesses to rotatably support the cutters therein, the pins having polygonal extensions projecting beyond said part of the body, a member screwthreaded to the body and having polygonal openings receiving the extensions, and cutting partson the member.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribedour names this 24th day of January, 1929.

VAN J. KUBIN. PERRY FUNDERBURK. 

